Biography

Inductee: Johnnie Johnson (piano; born July 8, 1924) Johnnie Johnson is one of the unsung heroes of rock and roll. He has been called “the world’s greatest living blues pianist” and “the founding father of rock and roll,” but relatively few knew his name because he played piano in Chuck Berry’s band and did relatively little recording on his own. That, however, is changing, as Johnson’s unsung role as a key player in some of rock and roll’s most classic songs has been brought to light through the efforts of music journalists and boosters like Keith Richards (of the Rolling ...